Education

Major

You're inspired to benefit society and positively impact the future of humanity. You strive to make a difference in the lives of children for years to come. By becoming a teacher, you will accomplish these things, while contributing to one of the world's oldest – and most important – professions.

Get into the classroom

Lakeland's state and nationally accredited education program will usher you into the classroom, fully prepared for a rewarding career. According to a recent Georgetown University report, the retirement rate for teachers over the next decade will be high, as will the hiring rate for new education graduates.

“I think we are one of the best, and we can compete against anybody,” says Mehraban Khodavandi, professor of education. “One criterion I always use to find out how we can make that claim is the number of schools that hire our graduates. We have a very high employment rate. Students who graduate from Lakeland College are hired by many schools in the state and other states.”

Lakeland's education program is divided into three segments, or areas of certification: K-6th; 1st-8th and 6th-12th. Once you've chosen which age group of students you'd like to teach, you will begin your journey toward making a difference.

“What makes us special is the personal attention we pay to our students,” says Khodavandi. “I usually tell people who visit here to check other schools. When they check out other schools and compare them to us and our programs, I think they will decide to come here because of the many strengths we have.”

Education at Lakeland

Download the latest handbook

Winning awards is nothing new for Lakeland College education program graduates. Just recently, in fact, Lakeland grad Melissa Anderson was named the 2013 Elementary School Teacher of the Year by the Sheboygan (Wis.) Area School District. Anderson is a fourth-grade teacher.

A few years back, Lakeland grad Lori Neurohr, then a second-grade teacher in the Kohler School District, was named Wisconsin's Teacher of the Year. She represented the state in the Council of Chief State School Officers national program, traveling to events in Dallas, Washington D.C. and New York.

Said one of Lori's students: “I jump out of bed each morning and can't wait to get to school. We have the best teacher in the world.”

ACT 166 Annual Report

Per Act 166, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is required to produce an annual report of the State’s educator preparation programs (EPP). The report includes information on program completers, their first time pass rates on the required performance assessments, and employment data. The following link provides a copy of the annual report.

Snapshot of Success

Name: Mike Olson

Hometown: Kingsford, Mich.

Title: Fourth-grade teacher

Business: Breiting Township Schools

When Mike was in high school, he job shadowed a fourth-grade teacher named Mark Novara.

Thanks in large part to Mark’s glowing praise for his alma mater, Lakeland College, Mike applied, was accepted and exceled. But it gets better. After graduating in 2011 with a degree in early education, Mike secured a job teaching fourth grade in his hometown, Kingsford. The classroom he inherited was the same one he had job shadowed in more than five years earlier.

“Teaching youngsters in my hometown is a dream come true,” says Mike.

“I absolutely love it,” he says. “I love waking up and going to work every morning. Fourth grade is such a good age to work with. They still want to listen and come to school. One really rewarding aspect of my job is noticing you’re having a positive impact. Some kids have it rougher than others, so it’s nice that when they come to school, they know someone here cares about them.”

In addition to teaching, Mike serves as an assistant coach on the high school’s freshman football team and helps coach in the middle school boys’ basketball program.

At Lakeland, Mike student taught at Kohler Elementary School and Horace Mann Middle School in Sheboygan. Both experiences, he says, prepared him for becoming a fulltime teacher, and he’ll always appreciate the fact that Lakeland – unlike many schools – sets up student teaching assignments.

Reflecting upon his time at Lakeland, Mike has fond memories of a “caring community.”

“When I took my tour, I could tell the people there genuinely cared,” he says. “It’s a family, a place where you make connections for life. And the education program is top-notch, fantastic.

“Without Lakeland, I don’t think I’d be where I am today.”

Recent Grads, Real Careers

Listed below are just some of the careers Lakeland College education students from recent graduating classes have landed:

4th grade teacher, Breitung Township Schools

Music teacher, K-12, Elkhart Lake School District

Secondary mathematics teacher, Gibralter Area School District

Child care director, YMCA

Kindergarten teacher, Port Washington/Saukville School District

Teacher, Oak Creek/Franklin School District

Teacher, Northland Pines School District

Teacher, School District of Florence County

Teacher, Niagara School District

7th grade teacher, Luxemburg-Casco School District

Pre-school teacher, Creative World

Associate preschool teacher, Great Beginnings Preschool

Tutor, Escanaba Middle School

Teacher, Baxter Schools

4th grade teacher, Precious in His Site School

Listed below are some of the internships Lakeland College education students have landed during their stay at Lakeland:

In addition to the General Studies coursework required of all Lakeland College graduates, students seeking certification to teach at the Early Adolescence through Adolescence certification level and/or the Early Childhood through Adolescence certification level must complete an approved major and the following professional sequence:

EDU 361 - Reading in the Content Area (Early Adolescence through Adolescence) *

EDU 371 - Teaching Techniques for the Early Adolescence through Adolescence Level *

Note: Music majors are required to complete specific teaching techniques courses in place of EDU 371. These are included within each music concentration. Please refer to the music major(s) for details.

*Admission to the Education Division is a prerequisite for entry into these classes.

Students seeking certification at the Early Adolescence through Adolescence certification level must also complete a certifiable major in biology, broad field science, broad field social studies (history or sociology), chemistry, English, history, or mathematics. With a major in any of the aforementioned subjects, a minor in English as a Second Language, German, psychology, sociology or Spanish may be added. Depending upon the major, other minors are also possible. Please see specific subject areas for details.

In addition to the General Studies coursework required of all Lakeland College graduates, students seeking certification to teach at the Early Adolescence through Adolescence certification level and/or the Early Childhood through Adolescence certification level must complete an approved major and the following professional sequence:

EDU 361 - Reading in the Content Area (Early Adolescence through Adolescence) *

EDU 371 - Teaching Techniques for the Early Adolescence through Adolescence Level *

Note: Music majors are required to complete specific teaching techniques courses in place of EDU 371. These are included within each music concentration. Please refer to the music major(s) for details.

EDU 373 - Field Experience in Education * OR MUSE 373 - Field Experience in Music Education *

EDUP 432 - Survey of the Exceptional Person

EDU 449 - Education Capstone Course (WI) *

One Mathematics (MAT) course numbered 130 or above with the exception of MAT 210 - Mathematics for Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence Teachers

In addition to the General Studies coursework required of all Lakeland College graduates, students seeking certification to teach at the Early Childhood through middle Childhood certification level will be expected to complete the following major/professional sequence and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's (DPI) statutory requirements:

Completion of Wisconsin Technical College's Early Childhood Education Associate Degree or Diploma program including the Administrative Course (WTCS 307-198)

#These WTCS courses apply in transfer only to these requirements in the Early Childhood-Middle Childhood Education Major (PK-6) and may not be used as such in the Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence Major (1-8). This application of transfer credit applies only to those who have completed an Associate Degree or a diploma in Early Childhood Education through the WTCS System.

*Admission to the Education Division is a prerequisite for entry into these classes.

In addition to the General Studies coursework required of all Lakeland College graduates, students seeking middle Childhood through Early Adolescence teaching certification will be expected to complete the following major/professional sequence:

*Admission to the Education Division is a prerequisite for entry into these classes.

Students majoring in Middle Childhood/Early Adolescence Education must also complete a certifiable minor in biology, chemistry, English, English as a Second Language, German, history, mathematics, political science, science: life and environmental science emphasis, or Spanish.